Fire-escape.



PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

W. P. THOMPSON. FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY6,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVE. NTOR W I'INE SSE S In: NORRIS PETERS co., wasmucrmv, n. c,

PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906. W. P. THOMPSON.

FIRE ESCAPE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1995.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

w, WITNESSES [/V'VENTOR A m/0o I Allamey 5 THE NORRIS PETERS 5a., vmsnmaruu, n. c.

WVILLIAM PEW THOMPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed May 6,1905. Serial No. 259,233.

To all. whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, I/VILLIAM PEW THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that form of lireescape in which a flexible line or chain is suspended outside a building down which persons can lower themselves from the upper story to the ground, and more particularly relates to that form of suspended fire-escapes wherein the flexible rope or chain when not in use is kept coiled 011 a pin or in a box high up on the inside wall of an upper room near a window in the building.

The object of my invention is to furnish a fire-escape which will at all times be in portable easily-handled condition ready for instant use, provide a case to contain the same, light in weight, impervious to moisture or change in temperature, and in which the flefvible line is so placed that it will pay out or uncoil as needed, avoiding the possibility of a tangle or knot before being extended its full length to the ground.

In the accompanying drawings, which show my invention, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of my invention as kept ready for use. Fig. 2 represents a view of my invention as extended in service. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the fireescape.

The same letters refer to the same parts in the different figures.

Letter A represents part of an outer wall of an upper room of a building in which is firmly fixed a wrought-iron hook B, having a washer C, which is kept a short distance away from the wall by a shoulder or smaller collar D on the shank of the hook B, thus forming a recess close to the wall for receiving the edge of the mouth of the back plate or top of the case E, which by its large opening is easily placed on or removed off the hook.

F is a flexible line or rope having a loop at either end and coiled up in successive layers,

preferably from the outside toward the center. Near the inner end it is wound in and out through a metal friction-slide G, constructed to slide the same eith er way, backward and forward, to which is attached a canvas sling H, on which is a sliding band or safety-ring I.

The above parts being constructed and as sembled as aforesaid, the loop on the inner end of the rope is then placed on the hook, the sling rolled up and with the friction-slide put into the circular space remaining in the center of the coil and the case hung up on the hook, and the invention is ready for instant service. The inner plate or lid or top of the case E may be fast or may be removable as a lid, and thus facilitate the coiling of the rope F in the case E, and said plate or lid may be fixed with the hook to the wall and not come away when the case, with its contents, is removed, and the rope F may be coiled in successive layers from the bottom to the top instead of from the outer to the inner part; but when thus properly stored and occasion comes for its use the operator takes down the case, with its contents, (one looped end of the rope remaining attached to the hook) throws it out of the opened window, the rope uncoils as it goes down, and the operator, slipping the canvas sling over the head and shoulders under the arms, slides the safety-band close to the person to prevent falling out, and taking hold of the rope is ready to descend. Putting a strain on the rope below the slide increases the friction and slows up or stops the downward motion. Releasing the strain or lifting up the rope accelerates the descent.

The rope E is provided with a loop at either end, so it can after a descent be reversed end for end and the friction-slide,with sling, thus brought to the upper room again ready for use.

I am aware that pendent fire-escapes are not new and that slings with safety-bands in combination with friction-slides or with pulley and brake have been used before, and distinctly disclaim such as my invention; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-escape the combination with a flexible line, of a friction-slide carried thereby, a sling attached to said slide, a case in which said line may be stored when not in use, and from which the line may be automatically withdrawn for use, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a flexible line a friction-slide carried thereby, means for attaching one end of the line to a stationary part within a building and acase adapted to contain said line when not in use, by said line, and a hook attached to a part of IO and to allow said line to automatically uncoil the interior of a building for the attachment upon the dropping of the case While the line of said line and the support of the case and is attached to its support. I other parts of the fire-escape.

3. A fire-escape comprising a flexible line having at either end means for attaching the v WILLIAM PEW THOMPSON line to a stationary support, a case to contain Witnesses: said line when not in use, a removable cover EVERETT R. JONES,

for said case, a friction-slide and sling carried GEORGE D. ROCKWELL. 

